The ER-2 is a civilian version of the Air Force's U2-S reconnaissance platform. These high-altitude aircraft are used as platforms for investigations that cannot be accomplished by sensor platforms of ... the private sector. Aircraft and spacecraft have proven to be excellent platforms for remote and in situ sensing. The ER-2, flying at the edge of space, can scan shorelines, measure water levels, help fight forest fires, profile the atmosphere, assess flood damage, and sample the stratosphere.